Control for electric water heaters



June 19, 1928.

G. A. E. JONES CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS Filed May 21, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR gem 0/1 .5 10mm flearl ATTORNEY G. A. E. JONESCONTROL FOR ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS June 19, 1928.

Filed May 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet qua k INVENTOR e" film ATTORNEYPatented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. E. JONES, OF WEST CHESHIRE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRDTO ALBERT B. HART AND ONE-THIRD T HAROLD H. STARR, BOTH OF NEW LONDON,

CON NE CTICUT.

CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS.

Application filed May 21,

This invention relates to improvements in control devices for producinghot waterinstantaneously in electrical water heating apparatus.

Among the objects of the present invention it is contemplated to providein an electrical water heating system, means regulatable by the flow ofthe water to be heated for setting up the electrical heating circuit;means 0 operable by the cessation of the water flow to break the heatingcircuit; and a novel arrangement of contact disks actuated to functionautomatically on the operation of the above said means.

Specifically the invention aims to bring together the contacts forproviding the electrical heating circuit by a plunger actuated by thepressure of the fluid to be heated.

Specifically the invention also aims to 0 break the circuitautomatically by the actlon of a tension spring after the water flow hasceased.

Still further the invention contemplates the positioning of theactuating mechanism in the main water line. v

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the inventionwill appear from the subjoined detail description of one specificembodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich,

Figure 1 is an assembly view of'the various mechanisms in the heatingsystem including the specific invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail cross section along the 5 line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the reference characters in thedrawings, nu- 4o meral 1 designates a primary coil of a transformer, inwhich 2 represents a core. The secondary coil in the transformerconsists of a single turn, through which passes a fluid conductingcopper pipe 4, in this case the single turn consists of an iron or brasssupport 3, the support being connected across its legs 5 and 6 by acontinuation of the fluid pipe 4 to complete the secondary circuit.

Water or any other heating fluid which is delivered from the usual citysupply mains through the valve 7 passes through the T 8 into the fluidpipe line 4 where it is sub jected to the heating effect of the trans=1924. Serial No. 714,872.

former secondary 5 on the application of the heating current within thetransformer. The water is heated further as it passes from the conduitportion of the pipe line 4 through the coil 9, which is in the secondarycircuit, and consequently receives the heating current. From the coil 9the water passes into the hot water delivery line at 10.

To bring about the instantaneous application of the heating medium uponthe opening of the water feed supply valve 7 there is located in andcooperating with the T 8, a valve mechanism 11 about which thisparticular invention centers.

To the extremity of the T 8 there is attached one end of a threadedcoupling 12, the other end of which is connected to an internallythreaded recessed nut 13. On the bearing surface of the nut 13 there issup ported a hollow sleeve 14; through which the plungerrod, opening andclosing means 15 reciprocate; and upon which the contact carrier 16 isfixedly mounted, and contact carrier 17 slidably mounted.

At the extremity of the T 8 there is located a bracket arm 18, held inplace by a washer 19 which is pressed against the T8 by the abutment 20on the coupling 12. On this bracket 18 there is fixedly connected asecond bracket 21 which supports the contact carrier 16, holding saidcontact carrier firmly in place, and at the same time serving as anadditional supporting means for the whole valve mechanism. The bracket21 mounted in the carrier 16 is clamped between the two non-conductors,but separated from the metallic conductor lugs by washers 30.

The'cont-act carrier 16 is fixedly mounted on sleeve 14, being helcliinplace against lateral movement, on the sleeve between washers 22 by therecessed nut 13 pressing against an integral collar 23 of the sleeve 14on the one side, and by nut 24 threaded to the sleeve 14 on the otherside thereof.

The contact carrier has two non-conductors 25 and 26, in disk form,having openings for the passage of the sleeve 14 therethrough; On thenon-conductor 26 there are mounted the two diametrically oppositelydisposed metallic contact lugs 27 and 27', having body sections 28 andwhich lugs are connected at the opposite face of the nonconductor by thethreaded nuts 29. To each of the contact bolts at 29 there are attachedthe leads 34 which are connected with the primary transformer circuitand the source of electric current. r 7

On the sleeve 14 there is slidably mounted the second contact carrier 17which is in the form of a disk similar to the disk 16.

but having a. bushing sleeve 31 therethrough C in contact with thesleeve 14. Integral with the bushing 31 there is formed a bracket 32 ofU-shaped configuration havingarms 47 and 50. On the outer periphery ofthe con trio circuit by bridging the gap between the tact carrier thereismounted a'metallic ring 33prei'erably of copper, wh ch on contactwiththe lugs 27 and 27 completes theeleclugs 27 and 27'.-

Tobri g the twocontact carrier sections 4 V in contact with each. other,there is'mounted within the sleeve-14, a reciprocating plunger rod 15screw threaded at 36 and 37. At one end ofthe plunger rod, at 36 there smounted a piston 38 adjustably fixed in position The piston end of heplunger rod'is reciprocable in the T 8, which is closed, at

branch'42 by a washer 43, and which has at its opposite branch 44 awasher 45 through which the piston 38 reciprocates. A tensionspring35surrounds the plunger rod 15 and the piston 38 between the twowashers 43and 45', and serves to keep the flow o'fliquid limited to pressingagainst and within the piston 88. Consequently the piston 38 is urgedoutwardly towards the main water line by the'pressure coming fromtheliquid through the T 8. As the piston rodis urged forward by the volumeof liquid flowing through the open end and openings 41 and 414 of thepiston, it moves in the direction of the arrow of F'g. 2, with theresult that the openings 41 and 41 pass beyondthe washer '45 anddischarge the liquid intothe mainpipe line towards and into'the heatingsystem.

At the normal inoperative position of the carriers 16 and 17 when noliquid is flowing in the pipe line a tension spring 46, mounted onsleeve 14 exerts sufficient pressure against nut 24 of'tlie carrier 16and bushing sleeve 31 otthe movable carrier 17 to keep the carriers outof contact. V

on the sleeve 14 and bearing against one arm47 of the bracket 32 thereis mounted one end or a tension spring 48. The other end of the spring48 bearsagainst a conical head 49 screwed to the threaded portion 37 of:the plunger rod 15, and. urges the plunger rod outwardly towards thesecond bracket arm 50 until the conical head 49 on the rod contactstherewith. When no fluid pressure is exerted on the plunger rod thissecond spring means 48 provides a further 1 means to supplement'thespring 46 for retaining the carriers out of contact.

As the lun er rod is urged forward by the initialJvolui'ne of watercontacting with the piston head 38,the spring 48 is comforced intocontactwith the fixed carrier 16,

while 'the'spring 46 between them is coin pressed'. This contact of thecarriers results in the completion of the electrical circuit and thesubsequent heating action ofthe secondary coil. i

As the openings 41, 41 of the piston pass the washer 45, the liquid fromthe main feed line 7 flows throiwh such o aenin 's into the 1 r v 1 Q VP1136 line 4 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. Since the initialpressure of the liq uid against the piston rod 88 causes the circuittobe' set up, the water subsequently passing through the secondary coil4, is subjectedto the heating action ofthe secondary coil. From theheating coil 4, the hot'water passes through the coil 9 there to befurther heated and then into the main delivery pipe at 10. i

As the flow of liquid is shut ofi the pressure against the piston 38ceases, and the tension spring 48 automatically. urges the conical head49, carrying with it the plunger rod 15 towards the bracket arm 50.-'Asthev compressive force of spring 48 ceases to function, after havingdrawn the plunger rod head 49 into contact with the bracketarm 50, thespring 46 between the two contact carriers expands completely to breakthe electrical circuit. When the spring 48 is thus liberated when theflow ot'liquid is shut 011 it will advance the head 49 with such forceas to strike the arm 50 a vigorous. blow so that the strain thereof willbe transmitted through the bracket 32 to the carrier arm 17 to initiatethe withdrawal'ot the carrier 17 of the contact annulus 33 from thecontacts 27 and 27, the spring 46' thereuponcomplet- 'ing the withdrawalaction of the carrier 17.

WVh'enthe flow of liquid is shut oii, the spring pressed disc 45 isyieldable to permit any pressure that may betrapped in the coil 9 toescape ou't'through the T 8-. On the other hand, should the pressuredecrease sufficiently in the coil 9 upon. cooling, the presvsure in theT 8 will be: sufficient to advance the piston 38; to where its openings41 and 41 pass the disc 45, to permit the pressure in the coil 9 andtube at substantially to balance the pressure in the T 8.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to thedetails of construction without departing from the general spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described for a liquid heating system havinga liquid conduit, a disc extending transversely of said conduit andhaving an opening therein, a tubular plunger head extending through theopening of said disc and closed at one end with lateral openings in thesides thereof, a support, a spindle slidably extending through saidsupport and connected to said plunger, a fixed electric contact mountedon said support, a carrier secured to said spindle, a movable electriccontact on said carrier and adapted to engage the fixed electriccontact, tensioning means on said spindle for normally maintaining saidmovable contact spaced from said fixed contact, the flow of the liquidthrough said conduit causing the plunger to pass part way through saiddisc to permit the water to escape through the openings in said plungerbeyond said disc on its way to the heating zone and carry the spindlewith it to cause said movable contact to engage said fixed contact toclose the electric circuit for the heating current, and means forcooperating with said tensioning means to initiate the separation of themovable contact from the fixed contact when the flow of liquid has beenstopped.

2. In a device of the class described for a liquid heating system havinga liquid conduit, a disc extending transversely of said conduit andhaving an opening therein, a tubular plunger head extending through theopening of said disc and closed at one end with lateral openings in thesides thereof, a support, a spindle slidably extending through saidsupport and connected to said plunger, a fixed electric contact mountedon said support, a carrier secured to said spindie, a movable electriccontact on said carrier and adapted to engage the fixed eleetriccontact, tensioning means on said spindle for normally maintaining saidmovable contact spaced from said fixed contact, a bracket connected tosaid carrier and having an abutting arm at the end thereof, a head onsaid spindle in said bracket, and a the opening of said spring fornormally forcing said head against said abutting arm, the flow of theliquid through said conduit causing the plunger to pass part way throughsaid disc to permit the water to escape through the openings in saidplunger beyond said disc on its way to the heating zone and carrying thespindle with it to cause said movable contact to engage said fixedcontact to close the electric circuit for the heating current, and saidspring when the flow of liquid has been stopped, causing said spindle toreturn and thereby to carry with it the plunger to withdraw the openingsthereof over to the inside of said disc away from the heating zone andto thrust said head against said abutting arm to initiate the separationof the movable contact from said fixed contact, the tensioning meanscompleting the withdrawal of said movable contact from said fixedcontact.

3. In a device of the class described for a liquid heating system havinga liquid conduit, a disc extending transversely of said conduit andhaving an opening therein, a tubular plunger head extending through discand closed at one end with lateral openings in the sides thereof, asupport, a spindle slidably extending through said support and connectedto said plunger, a fixed electric contact mounted on said support, acarrier secured to said spindie, a movable electric contact on saidcarrier and adapted to engage the fixed electric contact, tensioningmeans on said spindle for normally maintaining said movable contactspaced from said fixed contact, the flow of the liquid through saidconduit causing the plunger to pass part way through said disc to permitthe water to escape through the openings in said plunger beyond saiddisc on its way to the heating zone and carry the spindle with it tocause said movable contact to engage said fixed contact to close theelectric circuit for the heating current, and a spring for causing saiddisc to cooperate with said plunger normally to shutoff the flow ofliquid to the heating zone but yieldable to permit the pressure in saidheating zone to escape when the flow of liquid has been stopped, saidtensioning means being yieldable to permit said plunger to slide beyondsaid disc to allow the pressure on either side of said discsubstantially to equalize.

GEORGE A. E. JONES.

